How to Increase Productivity at Work

Your productivity at work is affected by many things. Knowing how to increase productivity at work starts with monitoring the small and seemingly insignificant tasks. For example, checking emails or answering phones. After all, such tasks are a necessary part of today’s work day. Right?

How can you increase productivity at work by removing tasks? And how can you be more productive with so few hours in the day? Find My Profession offers these tips and more!

Stop checking social media

We live in a connected world. Your phone gives you access to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, social media sites, friends, and family. The USA alone spends a total of 12 billion hours checking social media accounts each year. Not only is your work productivity affected, but your company is paying for it, as well. Checking for status updates and news feeds can wait.

Use time management software

A good way to increase productivity at work is by monitoring how long you are using software tools for work. Software such as Rescue Time can provide a picture of applications and websites kept open throughout the day. You can find out what websites and applications were hurting your work productivity and set limits on usage.

Set time blocks for specific tasks

Understanding how to increase productivity at work can start with the simple act of setting boundaries. If you know you have to answer emails and make phone calls, set time limits for how long you will spend on such tasks. This will help your work productivity by eliminating wasted conversations and idle chatter. Setting dedicated times (time blocks) to check emails is a good idea, too. You do not have to hurt your productivity by answering every email as it arrives.

Consider a standing desk

Have you ever heard the saying, “I think better on my feet”? It happens to be true. Working while standing up increases blood flow to the brain. Also, over time it helps reduce the risks of health problems caused by poor blood circulation.

Disconnect from work

Stress gets in the way of work productivity plus it damages the brain cells responsible for memory. We need to remember what we should be doing next. Also, stressed out employees have shown higher levels of absenteeism and health problems. To reduce stress, take the time to disconnect from work. Breathe. Relax. Stretch and recharge yourself to feel less stressed about completing tasks at work.

Set realistic goals to increase productivity

It would be great (or not) if we could all be emotionless, productive working robots. But people tend to become disheartened when they feel goals are not accomplished. The more people feel like a failure the less productive at work they become. Try setting small goals such as “to-do lists with deadlines”. Give yourself the confidence to set larger productive work goals in the future.

Study new productivity tools for work

The Technology Age has led to the world where solutions to problems are being created all the time. If you are having problems with productivity at work, chances are there is a solution. First, you have to find it. Learn how to increase your productivity at work by taking an hour each week to study new productivity tools available.

Create a reward system

If you know you are capable of being productive at work, create a reward system for yourself. For example, if you have a productive week at work, reward yourself! Try dinner and a movie on Friday night or a day at the spa. It is a small reward. But knowing every productive week has a light at the end of the tunnel will increase your productivity.

Learn how to say no

A good way to increase productivity at work is to avoid distractions and say “No thank you” when required. This means you have to be blunt at times and you cannot control how other people react to you staying focused. At first, you may feel uncomfortable. As time goes on, you will see how you are increasing productivity at work.

Stop multitasking

It was once believed that multitasking helped increase productivity at work, but time and results have proven otherwise. Psychologists have proven that people get more done by staying focused on one task until completed. Focusing on one task can help avoid time wasted on fixing mistakes caused by doing too much at once.

The FMP Contributor

The FMP Contributor is the daily publication of Find My Profession. Your #1 career advice resource.

Asking for Feedback After a Job Rejection

You just found out you did not get that job. It may seem like a risk to ask for feedback about the interview. However, this is the perfect time to send an email requesting feedback. Knowing when and how to seek interview feedback is critical. The best time to send an email to ask for feedback is right after you learn, you did not receive an offer.

3 Dangers of Job Seekers Only Appealing to Recruiters

Many recruiters will offer advice and they are quite easy to find on LinkedIn, too. But if a job seeker only tries to appeal to the requests of recruiters, they will definitely put their job search in danger. In this post, we explain why appealing to recruiters as the lone source of finding work will set job seekers up for failure.

How to Answer the 16 Most Common Interview Questions

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you were sent a list of the interview questions you were going to be asked a few days before your actual interview? Sadly, this never happens, but have no fear. We provide you with a short list of 16 most common interview questions and answers that you can guarantee you will be asked in your upcoming interviews.